Male Menopause Mystery: Unraveling the Truth about Andropause

For years, people have been hearing and learning about menopause and how to deal with it. Men and women are educated about this natural condition that affects women when they reach a certain age in order to properly cope with it and accept it as a natural condition.

However, another particular condition similar to menopause affects men and is a mystery on why this condition happens. This male menopause condition is called the andropause. Andropause is a condition that affects men that is very similar to women’s menopause.

This condition is caused by low testosterone level in men and is considered as the male menopause condition that is affecting men when they reach a certain age. In the early 50s, andropause is defined as the natural cessation of sexual function in older men.

The symptoms of andropause relates very closely to menopause. It will include fatigue, depression, decreased sexual activity, and irritability. Surprisingly, this change has been always ignored and is considered as a normal phase in a man’s life. It may be a normal thing, but it doesnt mean that men should suffer greatly from this condition.

Researchers suggest that andropause is caused by excess alcohol intake, stress, overweight, vasectomy, lack of exercise and ageing. Because of this, researchers have also begun to seek treatment methods to reduce the effects of andropause.

One solution to the problem is the Testosterone Replacement Therapy or TRT. This treatment showed promising results in effectively relieving symptoms of andropause. Adding to that, it also restores health, sex drive, and potency. It will also include a sense of renewed vitality and virility when it is given to the right patient, at the right time and at the right doses.

You have to realize the fact that the natural tendencies of men in the early years of his life are concerned primarily on their career, money and power. Often, men ignore and neglect family and friends to focus more on career. However, in the later years when andropause sets in, men becomes more maternal, as if the men changes role from being fatherly to becoming motherly. Surprisingly, men dont even sense the changes themselves and women notice it more. Women often tell doctors about this condition that their husbands are going through.

In response to the falling testosterone levels in the body, andropausal men will experience night sweats, and palpitations.

When men who experiences the mentioned symptoms and visits their doctor, the doctor will usually check for andropause by examining the following:

Loss of hair in the armpits and axilla
Low sex drive
Erectile dysfunction or impotence
Shrinkage of testicles
Decreased muscle strength
Depression
Constant fatigue or tiredness
Low sperm count
Decreased bone density

Aside from the testosterone treatment, men should take the necessary steps in order to decrease the overall effects of andropause. The first step in treatment is to accept the condition. Once men accepted the condition it will be easier for them to treat it.

The next step is to exercise, and teach them to control themselves by quitting smoking and not abuse alcohol. Since, the body is changing while people age, men who are andropausal should also learn to relax and rest well.

These are the things that men should do when they reach the andropausal phase in life. This condition is inevitable and will affect men as they reach a certain age. Better to accept it and live life to the fullest rather than complain of not looking good anymore or being unable to have sex anymore.

Learning the Proper Diet to Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of the major substances that cause heart attacks, high blood cholesterol levels, and weight problems. Despite its bad guy image, this waxy, fat-like substances made in the body by the persons own liver serves a number of vital functions unknown to many.

Basically, there are two types of cholesterol: the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and the High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). The former refers to the bad type of cholesterol that is known to clog the persons blood vessels, thus, increasing the risk for a heart attack or a heart disease. Studies show that a diet that is high in saturated fat is a main dietary cause of a raised LDL cholesterol level. The latter, on the other hand, is the good type of cholesterol that helps clear LDL cholesterol out of the blood stream, thus, reducing the risk for any heart illness. Researches have shown that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables along with average levels of omega-3 from fish oil greatly helps raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Although diet is the major reason for having high cholesterol levels, experts agree that factors such as genetics, lack of exercise or regular physical activity, obesity, unhealthy lifestyle such as excessive drinking and smoking, hormones, and varying high and low cholesterol levels can trigger the sudden increase of cholesterol levels in the body.

GETTING STARTED

Indeed, cholesterol is a growing problem in the health of many people in the world. Experts say that people over 20 years of age should be more concerned about their cholesterol levels; thus, they should start doing everything they can to lower LDL cholesterol. Although it is quite hard to stick to the needed requirements and regiments to combat the growing problem, experts say that it can be controlled with the proper diet to lower cholesterol.

Studies show that a good diet to lower cholesterol can reduce a persons risk for heart diseases while getting rid of bad fats because this diet to emphasizes on eating heart-healthy foods. But, aside from using the proper and proven low cholesterol diets available today, the most important thing is that knowing and taking in the right foods and effective cholesterol formulas to assist in lowering cholesterol levels.

Experts say that a diet to lower cholesterol includes good foods like grainsespecially whole grain products and cerealsfish rich in omega3 such as salmon and tune, a variety of fruits and leafy vegetables, nuts, juices, and the like. Here are other effective means of lowering cholesterol level through diet:

1. Make sure that you visit your attending physician first before trying out any low cholesterol diets so he/she could administer the proper examinations and access your general health status.

2. You can lower your cholesterol levels by replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat in meat, chicken, and whole milk products.

3. Refrain from eating refined carbohydrates contained by bakery products, pastas, and sugary or sugar-added foods.

4. When eating out, makes sure that you ask the waiter to make serving substitutions like steamed or boiled food preparations. If possible, also pick lean meat, fish, or skinless chicken that is broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or poached instead of being fried and ask for lots of vegetable side dishes and fresh fruit desserts.

5. Cutting down on eggs, margarine, or butter out of your daily diet.

6. Use natural-based oils such as vegetable, corn, and olive oils when cooking instead of the usual cooking oil.

7. Load up on a lot of garlic when youre preparing dishes because it contains substances that help lower HDL cholesterol.

8. Take in high quality daily vitamin mineral supplements like Vitamin E to improve blood circulation, and Vitamin C and vitamin B3 to lower your high cholesterol levels.